The NFL Pro Bowl Games are just around the corner, yet hardly anyone seems to be making any noise. Since the major transition in 2023, things have been different. Now, there is a chance that there will be no Pro Bowl in the upcoming year, with talks of canceling the event heating up.

“The moment the Pro Bowl Games become a big enough strain on the bottom line, they’ll go the way of the surprise onside kick,” wrote Mike Florio on Pro Football Talk. “And so the message is clear. If you don’t like the Pro Bowl Games, don’t watch. If enough people don’t, the Pro Bowl Games will inevitably be put out of everyone’s misery.”For the first time, none of the Pro Bowl will happen inside a football stadium; the Pro Bowl Games will be held at the Super Bowl Experience in San Francisco, making it more of a strictly made-for-TV event.”

According to the new format of the Pro Bowl Games, the event was divided between two days: a Thursday night skills competition and a Sunday flag football game. However, this year, everything is scheduled in a single day, making it a hectic routine for the players. That’s where PFT’s take comes in. If fans stop watching the Pro Bowl, the NFL would eventually have to cancel it.

Earlier editions of the revamped Pro Bowl Games, including the 2025 showcase in Orlando, played out over multiple days, with skills challenges stretched across the week before wrapping up with a flag football finale. That rhythm changes in 2026. While Super Bowl week will still be packed, the league is condensing the core action into a single day.

With the week’s game turning into a day’s play, it will most probably not be to the fans’ liking. As per PFT, things are already taking a turn, with suggestions of avoiding the Pro Bowl games. More so, the “inevitably be put out of everyone’s misery” seems to be already coming true based on the last couple of years.

The Pro Bowl has experienced a massive drop in viewership. According to Front Office Sports, ABC, ESPN, and Disney XD drew only 4.7 million viewers. The previous year, 5.75 million tuned in to the flag football game. It shows a sharp decrease of 18% in viewership.

In 2022 and 2023, it was 6.7 million and 6.2 million, respectively. There is a clear downtrend in viewership. If things continue in this manner, the NFL season may end up with a two-week gap between the Conference Game and the Super Bowl, without any All-Star game week in between.

Although the NFL is one of the most popular sports in the world, there is probably a floor limit on the viewership. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will be looking at these figures closely. If it goes below the limit, there is a probability of the Pro Bowl not returning. This is not how Roger Goodell hoped things to turn out earlier in 2025.

Roger Goodell has a tough decision on his hands

The Pro Bowl initially started in January 1951. It was a full-contact, tackle, and full-length game. There was minimal effort to avoid injury. But they changed the event in 2023.

From 2023 onwards, with Goodell at the helm, a 7-on-7 flag football game, featuring no contact, takes place. Instead of a full 60-minute game, there are four 12-minute quarters. There were other events such as dodgeball, best catch, and precision catching, making it a full-on entertaining event. Earlier in 2025, the NFL commissioner mentioned his objectives towards making the Pro Bowl more attractive.

“We’ve spent a lot of time evolving our Pro Bowl, talking about how to make our Pro Bowl more attractive, both for our players participating but also our fans,” Goodell said. “We spent a great deal of time talking about the objectives, and the objectives really are to celebrate and honor our incredible players, and second is to use our game as a global platform.”

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While it is a noble thought, things are not going down the path Goodell intended. During the 2025 Pro Bowl week, fans were criticizing the event. Social media erupted with claims of not knowing when the events took place or that they are not an actual part of the NFL. With the players putting their bodies at risk for 18 weeks straight, asking them to play another week can seem a bit harsh.

With pressure mounting, he will need to address the issue as quickly as possible. Moreover, the single-day format this year means that there won’t be any games on Sunday or Monday, something that the fans look forward to.

Even calling a 41-year-old Joe Flacco, who has only nine games to his name, further complicates the situation for him. Drake Maye and Josh Allen have already opted out. The former won’t be appearing since he does not want to take a risk before the Super Bowl. Allen underwent a right foot surgery on Monday.

Roger Goodell faces a tricky balancing act. With stars opting out and the schedule condensed, the commissioner’s next move will set the tone for the league’s showcase event.